The SteelNavy.Com Message Board: Re: Well...

No, what I propose here does not collect duties for the US. It is simply a method for the sender/seller to transmit the info to US Customs electronically, and get it into CBP's computer system so they can process it. What is needed is for any person to be able have access to the ACE system. That is not practical. However, a nation's postal service should be allowed to have access.

It seems to me you could still bring things in already labeled, and with postage paid, and even customs forms already made out. Then, the clerk takes the package and enters in some data to the US ACE network (hopefully not charging you any extra amount to do that. It should be a second or so of simple typing.) US Customs then has it in their network to process as they please, and they will generate the customs charge, and notify the receiver, and collect payment from them, and so forth.

There are some nations where instead of bringing the package in, all the address data, etc. is transmitted to the post office electronically, then the post office comes and gets it. Since they have the data electronically, they probably don't want a clerk to stop and manually enter data into ACE. They would want to have a method to transfer your electronic data from their system to ACE. That was my thinking in the second of my paragraphs you quoted below.

This should be a DDU process. The sender should be able to collect only the item price and postage, and get it into the mail paying only postage. It should also get the info CBP wants into the system electronically, and allow them to do their duty calculations, fee collection, and security checks.

This is my notion, anyway.

Previous Message

I like your thinking on this Ralph. But re (you now) top paragraph below (although seems your next seems to cover it?). If you go to the PO here and have them do the work (that you can currently do online) you pay, IIRC, between 50 -100% more for the postage than if you did it youself online and then just self delivered the parcel to the PO, already addressed with printed out bar coded label on that shows postage already paid, etc. And while I assume there would have to be additional charges for this new collecting of duties for the US , hopefully it would not add 50% or more to current costs. But only time will tell.

" So, my thinking goes that not every individual in the world needs access to this system, so...a foreign seller goes to his local post office, and they have been set up with (probably a limited) entry to the system. The postal clerk types in the required data, and it transmits to the US CBP. They can now both generate the charge, and track the shipment, and verify its authenticity, or target it for physical inspection upon arrival, etc.

Foreign sellers at home or their work places might not be able to get access, but it seems reasonable that a postal system could be given it, and use it. They might then set up their own electronic hookups within their own nations to allow their customers to transmit electronically to them, then they transfer it to the ACE portal (or another system if I am wrong about how the ACE portal works.)"

Previous Message

I don't know enough about this subject yet to know if I have really found a solution, or not. But, it looks encouraging on the "first pass."

I had seen mention of US CBP's ACE portal in the reading I have done on all of this. Focused on other things, I ignored it. Now, however, it has occurred to me to look into it in more detail.

To determine the amount to charge--then email a notice and collect--customs need to run the place of manufacture, value, and what the item actually is, through a table of rates to get a percentage, then use that percentage to calculate the charge. That specific series of functions is certainly "automatable." It is just plain "data entry" with the right software. Type in those three things...place, value, item...then hit a button and generate a charge. It can even be set up to then automatically send a notice of those charges out.

Realizing this, it seems to me that...since sellers already have to provide this info on a form...if they could provide it electronically to US Customs, it can then be fed into such a setup. That way, "customs does the work," not the seller. And no DDP is required. CBP's system here generates the charge and notifies the recipient to pay, then releases the package.

Now, the next task is to provide sellers access to an electronic entry method, and this is when the ACE portal came to mind. Light reading shows this is an electronic data processing system that might actually even already be set up to do just exactly this type of thing. However, it seems to only be able to be accessed by brokers and professional shippers (the guys who ship bulk containers by sea and those sorts.) It does not appear to be accessible to "the common man." It also doesn't look hooked up to mail entries.

So, my thinking goes that not every individual in the world needs access to this system, so...a foreign seller goes to his local post office, and they have been set up with (probably a limited) entry to the system. The postal clerk types in the required data, and it transmits to the US CBP. They can now both generate the charge, and track the shipment, and verify its authenticity, or target it for physical inspection upon arrival, etc.

Foreign sellers at home or their work places might not be able to get access, but it seems reasonable that a postal system could be given it, and use it. They might then set up their own electronic hookups within their own nations to allow their customers to transmit electronically to them, then they transfer it to the ACE portal (or another system if I am wrong about how the ACE portal works.)

This is an embryonic notion. However, there does indeed seem to be a way to set this up workably, electronically (which is about the only way this kind of volume can be delt with.) Common carriers are already connected to the ACE system. No idea "what it does" for them, but they're hooked to it. All that is required is to hook mail systems and postal users to it as well.

Just "thinking out loud." And thinking hurts. I need morphine here, people.

Previous Message

…………………..there is a straightforward solution?

I realize there are other threads on this, but this is not about the whys of this new imposition, or venting at the ridiculousness of the current situation, but more about (what could have been) a ‘solution’, or how others do it.

For example, this is how it's done, more or less, here in Finland from goods arriving from outside the EU. The goods arrive (and often even before the goods arrive) an electronic message is sent from customs (to your email or phone). You respond online. If a gift less than 45 Euros, no VAT. If more than, or if 'commercial goods', then you declare the value of goods, etc, on an online form, press ‘submit form’, and VAT is automatically calculated. You may, or may not, be asked if you have a receipt for the value you claim goods are worth, or proof of payment (bank statement). You then may or may not be asked to submit that receipt / statement online as proof of amount you are declaring is value of goods. You then pay the VAT online. Goods are ‘released’ and forwarded on to you. End of story.

The above online ‘work’ takes, from start to finish, all of about three to five minutes, depending on how fast you can type. And the onus while shared somewhat, is primarily where it should be, on the country collecting the VAT / duty!!!!

No doubt folks will find holes to pick in this method, but……………………….it works hassle free (as long as you do have a receipt for purchase in case it is required). Of course you say that could be faked but that requires the sellers cooperation and hefty fines should you be caught trying to scam the system.